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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · craft · capital · key · clip · object · calf · rock

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. craft — boats
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. object — a thing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. march — the month
  10. clip — a video
  11. capital — money
  12. march — music
  13. rock — music
  14. capital — a city
  15. key — the most important part
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. march — the month
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. clip — for paper
  22. key — for a lock
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com